To fast or not to fast

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Religious leaders from Moses to Jesus to Buddha to Muhammad all did it seeking enlightenment. Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Cesar Chavez did it as a protest. Now, there's discussion about whether modern men should try fasting to improve their health.

Researchers at Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) in Utah got a lot of attention in 2007 when they announced "an association between fasting and reduced risk of coronary heart disease." At that time, all they could say was that people who did intermittent fasting seemed to have a lower risk of diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Further research, led by Benjamin Horne, IMC’s director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology, confirmed this effect with a new group of patients, mostly men, who were being seen for coronary angiography. They also measured biological parameters like cholesterol levels, seeking a biological mechanism for the benefits of fasting.

"Fasting causes hunger or stress," says an IMC news release. "In response, the body releases more cholesterol, allowing it to utilize fat as a source of fuel, instead of glucose." So the fasting provides a kind of shock to the system that seems to be beneficial.

Horne also found a spectacular rise in levels of human growth hormone (HGH). "During the 24-hour fasting periods," it says, "HGH increased an average of 1,300 per cent in women, and nearly 2,000 per cent in men." HGH has been credited with everything from reducing obesity to reversing aging, and many body-builders take it to build muscle.

Before we get too excited about Horne’s findings, however, it’s important to recognize that this work was done in a specific population. His 200-patient study group was being treated for suspected heart disease, which is why they were getting angiography. Also, a remarkable 34 per cent of them reported already going on regular fasts. The explanation seems to lie in the fact that fasting is part of the practice of the LDS Church, which is a major force in Utah. They’re also often non-smokers, which could well be relevant.

Online discussion of these results — and there has been plenty — often points readers to a book on intermittent fasting called Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon.

A Canadian, former research and development manager at a Toronto supplement company and graduate researcher at the University of Guelph, Pilon claims to understand the money-grabbing world of the supplement manufacturers. He says they perpetuate myths like "Eat more protein," "Eat six meals per day," and "It’s nutrients, not calories that count" to sell their products.

His own approach is a lot simpler and definitely cheaper. "Eat Stop Eat allows for an all-or-none approach once or twice a week followed by moderate restraint the other days of the week," he explains on his blog. "After all, with Eat Stop Eat we abstain from eating once or twice a week, so that on the other days we can enjoy our food."

There are other experts who feel that fasting is about the worst thing you can do to your body. California oncologist Dr. David Agus has been called a "rock star doctor" because he treated Lance Armstrong, Steve Jobs and Ted Kennedy. His new book, The End of Illness, also suggests that you should flush some supplements down the toilet, but he’s definitely not on the fasting bandwagon.

Instead, Agus argues that a lot of our medical problems, including many cancers, are the result of chronic inflammation, and that stress causes inflammation. So, famously, he chides women who wear high-heeled shoes because they are subjecting themselves to needless daily stress. Most guys I know don’t have that problem, though we probably all have some dress shoes or ski boots that don’t fit quite right.

In terms of eating and sleeping, Agus argues strongly for a regular routine. If you normally eat lunch, and then skip it, your body is going to be looking for that meal. If you normally get up at six a.m. but sleep in on the weekends, you’re causing needless stress.

One of Agus’s big ideas is that evolution selects for people who are good at having children, not for people who will live a long time. When we do something that causes stress, with the consequent inflammation, our bodies are effectively addressing short-term needs. You cut your finger, and the inflammatory response helps in the healing. But, in the long run, all these stresses add up, and Agus believes that has a lot to do with causing cancer in later decades.

So, to fast or not to fast? Most experts would agree that if it’s part of your religious tradition, be it Good Friday, Yom Kippur or Ramadan, there are benefits such as the feeling of community and kinship to consider. If you’re just looking to build lean muscle mass and a trim body, well, I’m sure you know what’s coming next.

First, talk to your doctor, then read the books, and if you feel so inclined, give intermittent 24-hour fasting a try. Just make sure you get enough water. Then listen to your body. It’s the greatest ex-pert and teacher of all, and you’ll probably find the answer becomes clear, even without 40 days in the desert.

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